Apparatus for applying fluid-pressure.



1 No. f59,'.-m5.v Patented Apr. l, m02.

y A w. s.`JnHNsoN. APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUID PRESSURE.`

(Application medAug. 9, 1900.) (No Model.)

2 Shee't-s-Sheet I.

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i.Pateri'f'ed' Apr. l, 1902.

w". s. manson.. APPARATUS FUR APPLYING FLU|DPRESSURE.

(Application led Aug. 9, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

WARREN S. JOHNSON, OF MILVVAKEE, `WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO JOHNSON ELECTRIC SERVICE COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPO- RATION OF WISCONSIN.

APPARATUS FOR APPLYINe FLUID-PRESSURE.;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,905, dated April 1, 190.2. Application filed August 9, 1900. Serial No. 261349. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, WARREN S. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Applying Fluid-Pressure, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawin gs,formin g a part thereof.

1o The main object of my invention is to determinately apply Huid-pressure in varying degrees to the performance of various kinds of work.

' It consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and

pointed out in the claims, for the accomplishment of the above-stated object.

l/Vhile the invention may be applied to various uses, and I do not wish to be understood zo as limiting myself to any of such various uses to the exclusion of others, for the purpose of illustration the invention is shown and particularly described as embodied in air-brake apparatus for railway-cars. z5 In the accompanying drawings like letters designate the same parts in the several figures. Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section on the line l l, Fig. 3, of one form of iluidpressure-controlling mechanism embodying 3o my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view and hori- Zontal section on the line 2 2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an end elevation and vertical cross-section on the broken. line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the operating-handle, index, and 3 5 scale for applying the Huid-pressure by predetermined degrees; and Fig. 5 is a general vieW in side elevation, on a reduced scale, of the pressure-controlling mechanism as applied to air-brake apparatus on a railway-car. 4.o Referring to Fig. 5, which shows the apparatus embodying my invention as constructed for and applied to air-brake apparatus on railway-cars, A is a tank or reservoir for holding compressed air. Bis a pipe or hose coupling, C a cut-off valve, andD an inwardly-opening check-valve for connecting said tank with an air-compressor,a tank on another car,or other source of compressed-air supply. E is the supply-pipe, arranged lengthwise of the car underneath the floor and connecting said 5o tank, through a branch e, with the pressurecontrolling device F at each end of the car. It is provided adjacent to said controlling device with cut-off valves G, the stems of which are accessible through openings in the platforms or 'door of the car. H is the servicepipe, connecting said controlling devices through a branch 7L with the brake-cylinder I. The piston-rod J of the brake-cylinder is connected by the usual or any suitable means (not shown) with the brake-shoes. K is a tubular stand attached to the platform or floor of the car at each end thereof directly over the controlling device F, the operating stem or connection of which projects upwardly 6 5 through or is accessible through an opening in the platform or floor. L is a valve-operating rod inclosed in said stand and provided at its upper end with a crank-handle M and at its lower end with a socket Z, which engages 7o with the squared operating-stem of the pressure-controlling device. The crank-handle is formed or provided with an index on, and the cap or cover of the stand K with a circular scale 7c, as shown in Fig. 4, for indicating the 75 exact positions of the operating-handle M for diierent degrees of service-pressure. The cap of the stand is also provided with a stop 7c for limiting the movement of the handle M in both directions at the proper points. 8o

Referring to Figs. l to 3, inclusive, each controlling device F comprises a case having supply and service connections f and f' and divided by a partition into two chambers N and O; asupply-valve P, normally closing theport 8 5 n in said partition and provided with a tubular stem p, which forms a Waste-passage leading from the chamber O to the atmosphere; a piston or movable part Q, fitted in the upper part of the chamber O and provided with a pad or 9o lwaste-valve R, which normally bears against the upper end of the stem p and closes the Waste-passage; a spring S, acting on the upper side of the piston Q in opposition to the service-pressure in chamber O, and a screw T for Varying the tension of said spring. The

tubular valve-stem p is guided at its upper end in a socket q, formed in or attached to the piston Q, and at its lower end in a stuifing-boX f2 in the lower side of the casein line with the port n. A spring p tends to hold the valve P up against its seat and the upper end of the tubular stem p against the wastevalve R. The expansible chamber O is provided above the piston Q with a detachable cap or cover, which is formed with an internally-threaded sleeve or nutfs. The screw T, which is externally threaded to engage with the nut f3, is made hollow to receive the spring S and is formed at its upper end with a flange t, having inclines or cams t on the under side, and with a squared stem t2, which is fitted into the socket Z in the lower end of the rod L, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The spring S is held in the hollow screwT, and its tension is adj usted by a bolt U,passin g axially through said screw and its squared stem and threaded and provided with adjusting and jam nuts u at its upper end. The lower end of the spring bears against the head of said bolt, and its upper end bears against a shoulder in the screw T. The head of the bolt U bears centrally against the upper side of the piston Q. A U-shaped yoke V, having a collar which loosely surrounds the head of the bolt U and bears upon the upper side of the piston Q, is guided and vertically movable in grooves or recesses in opposite sides of the nut f3. It projects at its upper end above said nut and terminates normally a short distance below the iange t on the screw T.

The operation of the pressure-controlling mechanism applied to air-brake apparatus, as hereinbefore described,is as follows: The tank A being charged or suppliedA with compressed air, the valve G at that end of lthe car from which the brakes are'to be operated being opened,`and the corresponding valve G at the other end of the car beingclosed, the brakes are applied with any desired degree of pressure by turning the handle M in the direction indicated by the arrow l on Fig. 4t till the indeXm points to the number or division on the scale lc indicating the desired pressure. This movement of the handle turns the screw T into the nut f3, opens the supply-valve P, and admits compressed air from the pipe E into the pipe H and brakecylinder I. As soon as the pressure in the brake-cylinder I, service-pipe H, and expansible chamber O is equal to that indicated bythe index m on the scale la it reacts on the piston Q, compresses the spring T, and allows the valve P to be closed by the springp'. Further ingress of air from the supply-pipe E and reservoir to the service-pipe H and brake-cylinder is cut oli, and the brakes are applied and held against the car-wheels with a pressure corresponding with the position of the operating-handle M and indicated on the scale k. The pressure will be increased in the brake-cylinder and the brakes applied with greaterforce in any desired degree by simply turning the handle M farther to the right in the direction indicated by the arrow 1 on Fig. 4, the degree of pressure in the brake-cylinder and the force with which the brakes are appliedbeingdeterminedbythe position of the handle M, as indicated by the index m on the scale 7c. l In case of emergency full reservoir-pressu re may be admitted to the brake-cylinder and the brakes instantly applied with the greatest available force by turningthehandleMtotheextrerneright. Bythis operation the inclines or cams t on the iianget will be brought into engagement with the yoke V and will thus hold the piston Q depressed and the valve P open independently of the spring S, the said inclines or cams and the yoke V serving under these conditions as a clutch for rigidly connecting the piston Q and the screw T. To release the brakes, the handleM is turned to the left in the direction indicated by the arrow 2 on Fig. 4. This reduces the tension of the spring and allows the service-pressure to move the piston Q upward, and thus cause the waste-valve R to uncover the waste port or passage in the valve-stem p. When the pressure in the brake-cylinder and service-pipe His reduced to that corresponding with the position into which the handle M is turned, as indicated by its index m on the scale 7u, the spring S, reacting on the piston Q, will cause the valve R to Vclose the-Waste port or passage and the brakes will be held applied with any diminished degree of pressure corresponding with the position of the handle M and indicated on the scale 7c. When the handle is turned to the left against the stop 7s' into its initial or zero position, the head of the bolt U will be suiciently elevated, with the screw T, to remove the pressure of the spring S from the piston Q, and thus allow air to escape from the brake-cylinder until the pressure therein is reduced to that of the atmosphere or nearly so. The brakes will thus be completely released.

It will be obvious from the illustration of the device in the drawings and from the foregoing explanation that the brakes may be gradually applied and released by predetermined degrees or that in case of emergency they may be instantly applied with all the pressure available and held so applied independently of the variable yielding resistance, which acts on the piston Q in opposition to the service-pressure to automatically close the supply and waste valves when the desired predetermineddegrees of service-pressure are reached. It will also be obvious that by a single movement 0f the operating-handle any desired predetermined degree of pressure may be applied and maintained for any desired length of time.

Various modifications in the details of construction and arrangement of parts of the mechanism maybe made in applying itto the various uses to which it is applicable without IOO IOS

IIO

affecting its principle or mode of operation and without departing from the spirit and intended scope of my invention.

I claiml. In apparatus for applying fluid-pressure the combination of an expansible chamber having supply, service and waste ports anda movable part exposed on one side to servicepressure, valve mechanism controlling the supply and Waste ports and adapted to be operated by said movable part, a variable yielding resistance acting on said movable partin opposition to the service-pressure, means for varying said resistance by predetermined degrees and means for positively holding the valve mechanism in position to admit supplypressure to the service-port independently of said yielding resistance, substantially as and forlthe purposes set forth.

2. In apparatus for applying fluid-pressure the combination of an expansible chamber having supply, service and waste ports and a movable part exposed on one side to servicepressure, valve mechanism controlling said supply and waste ports and adapted to be operated by said movable part, a spring acting on said movable part in opposition to the service-pressure, means for varyin g the tension of said spring by predetermined degrees,

and means for positively shifting said movable part to open the supply-port independently of said spring, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In apparatus for applying fluid-pressure the combination of an expansible chamber having supply, service and waste ports and a movable part exposed on one side to servicepressure, valve mechanism controlling said supply and waste ports and adapted to be operated by said movable part, a spring acting on said movable part in opposition to the service-pressure, a screw for varying the tension of said spring, and a clutch for positively connecting said screw and movable part when the spring is compressed to a certain degree, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In apparatus for applying fluid-pressure the combination of an expansible chamber having supply and service ports and a movable part exposed on one side to service-pressure, a valve controlling said supplyport, having a waste-passage leading through it from said chamber to the atmosphere, a spring normally holding said valve against its seat, a variable yielding resistance acting in opposition to the service-pressure on said movable part which is constructed and arranged to open the supply-valve and to close the wastepassage through it, and means for manually varying said resistance by predetermined degrees, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In apparatus for applying uuid-pressure the combination of an expansible chamber having supply, service and waste ports and a movable part exposed on one side to servicepressure, valve mechanism controlling said supply and waste ports, and adapted to be operated by said movable part, a screw working in a fixed-nut, and provided with acam or incline, a spring interposed between said screw and movable part, anda part interposed between said movable part and the camv or incline on said screw and adapted, when said spring is compressed to a certain degree by said screw, topositively act on said movable part and valve mechanism independently of said spring, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In apparatus for applying duid-pressure the combination of an expansible chamber having supply, service and waste ports and a movable part which isexposed on one side to service-pressure, valves controlling said supply and Waste ports and adapted to be operated by said movable part, a hollow screw working in a fixed nut and provided with a cam or incline, a yoke guided in said nut and bearing at one end against saidmovable part and projecting at the other end into the path of said cam or incline, a bolt passing axially through and adj ustably fastened in said screw and passing through an opening in said yoke and bearing at one end against said movable part, a spring held on said bolt in said screw and bearing at one endagainst the screw .and

at the other end against an abutment on the bolt, and a crank for turning said screw, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In apparatus for applying fluid-pressure the combination-With a source of fluid-pressure and afluid-:pressure motor, of a controlling device comprising an expansible chamber having a waste-port and supply and service ports connected with said source of pires-` sure and with said motor, respectively,valves normally closing said supply and waste ports, a movable part exposed on one side to service-presen re and adapted to open either valve when the other valve is closed, aspring adapted to act on said movable partin opposition to the service-pressure, a screw acting on said spring, means for manually turning said screw and varying the pressure of saidspring on said movable part, and means operated by` said screw for positively opening the supplyvalve and holding it open when said-spring is compressed to a certain degree, substantially as and foi` the purposes set forth.

8. In apparatus for applying duid-pressure the combination with a sourceof fluid-pressure and a fluid-pressure motor, of a controlling device comprising an expansible chamber having a waste-port and supply and service ports connected with said source ofpressure and with said motor, respectively, valves normally closing said supply and waste ports, a movable part exposed on one side to service-pressure and adapted to open either valve when the other valve is closed, a spring adapted to act ou said movable part in opposition IOO IIO

to the service-pressure, zt screw Loting on said when said handle is moved to its limit in one ro spring and provided with a @am or incline, a, direction, substantially as and for the purhandle for turning said screw and compressposes set forth.

ing said spring to predetermined` degrees, In Witness whereof I hereto affix my signameans for permanently adjusting the tension ture in presence of two Witnesses.

of said spring independently of said handle, y VARREN S. JOHNSON. and a. part actuated by said earn or incline Witnesses: for positively opening and holding open the J. M DOESBURG,

supply-valve independently of said spring CHAS. L. Goss. 

